Lewis owen michael



(No Model.)

L. 0. MICHAEL.

V BOOT BLOCK. N0. 163;404. PatentedNov.1-7, 1891.

lawentm? M/QI -UNIT I) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS OWEN MICHAEL, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

BOOT-BLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,404, dated November 17, 1891.

' Application filed February 20, 1891. $erial No. 382,133. (No model.) Patented in England November 6, 1889, ITO-17,644.

To' aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIs OWEN MICHAEL, residing at 88 Bordesley Green Road, Birmingham, England, and subject of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented a new and useful Boot-Block, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 17,644, bearing date November 6, 1889,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements for exhibiting and preserving the shape of boots; and its object is to provide a metallic skeleton or hollow block embracing the toe, instep, and leg of the boot, and means for its ready adjustment in position. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the entire boot-block as it appears when in the boot. Fig. 2 is a detachedside elevationof the bootblook. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the boot-block. Fig. 4 is a sectional View upon line A B. Fig. 5 is a sectional View upon line 0 D, and Fig. 6 is asectional view upon lineE F. (See Fig. 2.)

a is the skeleton boot-block, suitably shaped for the front of the boot. b is the toe-spring, which is secured at c d to the said block a, and which, when in position, rests upon the inside of the sole of the boot, and thereby supports the tree against the front upper of the boot. The sectional form of this block is made to suit the shape of the boot, and therefore varies at different parts of its length, as seen, for instance, in Figs. 4, 5, and 6.

I am aware that prior to this my invention stamped metallic parts have been used for the toe and the instep portions of boots, but not embracing the leg portion as well. I do not therefore claim stamped metallic boot-blocks, broadly.

e is the heel-sprin g, which is passed intothe boot after the insertion of the front piece a, the pointf supporting the upper part of the said front piece a in position.

What I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- In a shoe-exhibiting device, the combination of the shoe,the front piece a, fitting therein,-the spring I), attached to said front piece at the lower end thereof, and the spring e, one end thereof being againstlthe heel of the shoe and the other against the upper part of the piece a, substantially as described.

LEWIS OWEN MICHAEL.

Witnesses:

ERNEST W. JONES, OHAELEs H. POWELL. 

